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Money Box
Civil service pensioners face further delays to payments.
theguardian.com
Lloyds Banking Group to hire 300 tech experts to work on AI
Exclusive: While recruits will increase headcount for now, broader adoption of AI could lead to jobs cuts in futureLloyds Banking Group has launched an AI recruitment drive for 300 tech experts, weeks before its chief executive, Charlie Nunn, unveils a strategic plan for the 261-year old lender.The bank said it intended the recruits to work on its use and development of agentic AI by September, referring to autonomous artificial intelligence models that can plan and execute tasks with minimal human oversight. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Motorway traffic drones are coming to UK roads, but will they drive us to distraction?
National Highways agency uses virtual reality test to see if drivers are distracted by introduction of low-flying dronesI’m barrelling down the motorway at 70mph, swerving from lane to lane, with cars speeding past me. There’s just one problem, I don’t have a driving licence.Or at least it would be a problem were this a real road test. But despite the life-like surroundings, I am in fact trialling a complex simulation created by virtual reality company MXT on behalf of National Highways, the government-owned agency responsible for the UK’s major roads. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Massive bonuses for South Korea's chip workers puts central bank on inflation alert
Workers from tech industries receive bonus worth millions of won, prompting the Bank of Korea to warn of the upward pressure to inflation.
theguardian.com
JLR at risk of battery supply delays after Somerset factory turmoil
Supplier Agratas sacks its main building contractor on the government-backed project amid a budget mismatchJaguar Land Rover faces the risk of delays to the first deliveries of electric car batteries from a £5.2bn government-backed factory in Somerset after construction problems.The British carmaker is planning to rely on the Agratas factory in Bridgwater, Somerset, to supply the batteries for its new electric models. Agratas and JLR are owned by the Indian industrial conglomerate Tata. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Bedtime blues: London ‘killing off nightlife’ as UK city with strictest licensing rules
Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds are experiencing after-hours boom as a result of more lenient rulesLondon has the earliest council-mandated bedtime of any other city in the UK as a result of policies in nightlife districts that oppose any new bar or restaurant opening past 11pm.These strict restrictions on pubs and bars are “killing off nightlife” in the capital, experts have said, while other cities including Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds are experiencing an after-hours boom because they have more lenient rules. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Great British summer savings: grab family deals on days out, films and more
Government’s temporary VAT cut aims to ease cost of living for families this summer – here’s what’s on offerFrom Thursday families can enjoy a cut-price trip to Legoland or the cinema to watch Toy Story 5 as the government’s school holiday discount scheme Great British summer savings gets under way.Billed by Rachel Reeves as a way to “support families with the little treats in life”, the temporary VAT cut will reduce ticket prices at family attractions such as zoos and theme parks as well as the cost of children’s cinema tickets and restaurant meals. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Boats, bankers and borders: five symbols that sum up Brexit a decade on
What do the touchstones of the referendum debate tell us about the complex legacy of Britain leaving the EU?Ten years ago the UK voted 52% to 48% to leave the European Union, triggering a long and tortuous political process.It took until 1 January 2021 for the country to sever its links to the single market and customs union, but the fractures Brexit left in Britain’s body politic, international relations and economy remain. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Oil tanker traffic in Strait of Hormuz jumps after U.S. and Iran implement deal to open sea lane
The U.S.-Iran deal has raised questions about how the Strait of Hormuz will be governed after the toll-free period ends.
cnbc.com
NetJets' first fatal crash kills influential Texas VC founder
NetJets is not speculating on what caused one of its planes to crash onto a highway in Laredo, Texas late Tuesday, killing a prominent tech entrepreneur.
cnbc.com
The riskiest SpaceX stock trade of all had a big first week
SpaceX's IPO did not just mint the biggest debut in market history and a trillionaire, but it also triggered a historic land grab in risky leveraged ETFs.
bbc.com
O'Leary extends Ryanair contract in deal that could net him over £130m
The Ryanair boss extends his contract to 2032, in a deal featuring a bonus scheme that could earn him more than €150m (£130m).
theguardian.com
Heathrow third runway GDP yield may be 90% less than previous estimates
Department for Transport analysis suggests tiny economic boost would be outweighed by up to £62.5bn in trade-offsThe economic boost from a Heathrow third runway could be a tiny fraction of previous estimates, government analysis shows, while the overall trade-off from the bigger airport could set the UK back by as much as £62.5bn.As ministers promised to speed up expansion of the London airport in the name of economic growth, documents prepared by the Department for Transport said the runway was expected to boost GDP by only up to 0.05% – 90% less than the 0.5% previously stated. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The rise of the luxury barbecue: the UK’s new outdoor cooking obsession
Sales of high-end barbecues are booming as hotter and longer summers increase appetite for alfresco diningBurned sausages, limp salads and undercooked chicken legs you live to regret; the British barbecue has historically been a sorry affair. But a slew of fancy equipment the price of a secondhand car is revolutionising the grilling game.Over the past few years, the £1,000-plus barbecue has soared in popularity. The Big Green Egg, a pioneer of the premium outdoor cooking movement, has recorded 1m visits to its UK website so far this year. Its classic model retails at £1,495. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S. opens tariff probe targeting Germany’s drug pricing policies
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Germany's proposal to reduce spending on medicines was "a serious step backwards."
bbc.com
Do you want to know the secret to haggling with call centres?
Martin Lewis explains how your TV, phone, breakdown cover, insurance and more could be cheaper!
bbc.com
Who had the best World Cup advert?
BBC Sport looks at the numbers behind both Nike and Adidas' World Cup adverts.
theguardian.com
What could US-Iran peace deal mean for UK household costs?
The impact on petrol and food prices, energy bills and mortgages if the truce holds and strait of Hormuz reopensAround the world, markets reacted with relief this week to news that Donald Trump had signed a draft peace deal with Iran that promised to reopen flows of oil and gas from the Gulf to global buyers.There are already signs the truce could unravel, with Friday’s peace talks in Switzerland abruptly called off, but for now markets seem persuaded that commercial vessel traffic through the key waterway can start returning to normal. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham: our next Prime Minister? – podcast
Andy Burnham will return to Westminster as an MP, and potential challenger to Keir Starmer, after decisively beating Reform UK to win the Makerfield byelection. Kiran Stacey and Jessica Elgot chat through what happens nextWhat would ‘change’ look like if Andy Burnham becomes prime minister?Support the Guardian: theguardian.com/politicspod Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The UK’s social media ban for under-16s has just empowered big tech | Taylor Lorenz
Age verification means that the sector’s biggest players will now have access to information that will only make them richer and more powerfulThis week, the UK announced a wide-ranging ban on social media that will soon block users from communicating or accessing information on apps such as X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat unless they prove that they’re over the age of 16.The prime minister, Keir Starmer, called the policy “a line in the sand”. “Tech giants had their chance and failed,” he said, “but we’re stepping in to protect children, back parents and set a new normal for future generations.” All internet users, especially children, should be protected from exploitative systems online, but this new law will only foster more harm and help the largest and most powerful tech companies consolidate power and influence over everyone’s lives.Taylor Lorenz is a technology journalist who writes the newsletter User Mag and is the author of the bestselling book Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Luca Guadagnino’s Sam Altman movie dropped by Amazon after it announces OpenAI partnership
The web giant announced that Artificial, a biopic about the controversial tech executive, ‘will be better served if it were released by a different studio’Artificial, Luca Guadagnino’s controversial Sam Altman biopic, which is poised for an awards run next year, has been dropped by its distributor, Amazon.In a statement first reported by Puck, Amazon said that it believes “that Artificial will be better served if it were released by a different studio and are working closely with the film-making team to find the film a new home”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Hormuz disruption will continue until 80 mines blocking route are cleared
Tanker owner trade body says centre of strait will stay shut for ‘some time’, and vessels forced to hug Omani coast risk running aground The centre of the strait of Hormuz is blocked with about 80 mines that will need clearing for normal shipping to resume, the independent tanker owner trade body has said.Several vessels began to exit the Gulf through the key maritime chokepoint on Thursday after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham: Makerfield victory is 'our last chance' to change Britain - video
Andy Burnham addressed supporters at a rally after his seismic win in the Makerfield byelection. The new MP called for lower water bills, energy bills and rail fares to combat the cost of living crisis, saying that the victory was the ‘last chance’ to ‘lay out a new path for Britain‘ Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Is Trump's Iran deal a failure? - video explainer
Donald Trump has signed a 14-point agreement with Iran, claiming it delivered a 'major win' for the US – even as it made significant political and financial concessions to Tehran to reopen the strait of HormuzTrump’s Iran deal is result of unrealistic ambitions for an untenable warIran announces plans to bring in maritime fees for strait of HormuzIran peace deal makes clear how far US has been forced to retreat since 2025 Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Jio Platforms eyes low-orbit satellite rollout as Starlink awaits India launch
Jio Platforms, India's largest telecom operator and digital services company, wants to rollout statelite communication in the country where Starlink still awaits launch.
theguardian.com
‘It’s a scam’: Americans express unease over SpaceX’s influence on retirement savings
Guardian readers in the US share concerns about how the SpaceX IPO and AI boom affect their retirement accountsElon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire last week after SpaceX debuted on the stock market with a valuation of $1.77tn.Millions of Americans could soon become indirect investors in SpaceX and other emerging AI-focused companies as US markets increasingly shift toward AI-driven investments. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Memory crisis hits such extremes that 'even Apple can't be safe'
Apple appears poised to take the rare step of increasing prices to deal with what CEO Tim Cook called an "unsustainable" memory shortage.
bbc.com
Plans to end gazumping with binding agreements in house sales shake-up
Sales agreements will be legally binding sooner and making sellers provide more home information up front are part of the planned changes.
theguardian.com
Datacenters driving US clean energy growth while still threatening climate
As datacenters’ connections to electric grids are held up, big tech is forced to throw money at producing its own powerDatacenters are driving unprecedented growth in the US clean energy industry, paradoxically boosting a sector that was sputtering before the artificial intelligence boom even as AI’s rollout creates immense environmental challenges.However, observers caution that while the centers are propelling wind, solar, and other clean energy companies, datacenters remain a climate nightmare. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon on the new world of AI agents
CNBC's Arjun Kharpal sits down with the chip company chief on The Tech Download podcast.
bbc.co.uk
Americast
The US economy backs Elon Musk’s vision for AI and sending people into space
cnbc.com
UK gilt yields jump as borrowing rises and PM Starmer faces leadership challenge
Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election, defeating Reform UK by more than 9,000 votes with nearly 55% of the vote.
cnbc.com
India's largest telecom and digital service Jio Platforms files for IPO
India's largest wireless operator and digital service provider, Jio Platforms files for IPO
cnbc.com
Musk's SpaceX stake is worth over $1 trillion. Here are the other billionaire shareholders
SpaceX shares were up 37% after its historic debut last week, which offered shares at a set price of $135.
cnbc.com
Russia threatens escalation after Ukraine hits Moscow with largest-ever drone attack
Russia has pledged to carry out frequent and "massive group strikes" against Ukraine shortly after Kyiv launched a barrage of drones on Moscow.
theguardian.com
‘Termination shock’: trust our expert warnings on geoengineering’s planetary risks | Raymond Pierrehumbert, Julia Slingo, Michael Mann and Valerie Masson-Delmotte
Do we really want to play dice with our planet?A series in the Guardian recently declared “it’s time to talk about geoengineering.” So let’s talk about it. And let us start with some simple truths about this cluster of techno-optimistic “quick fixes” which purport to somehow offset our slow progress towards zeroing out planet-warming carbon emissions.Solar geoengineering proposals – reducing sunlight – have received the most attention, but a host of desperate schemes have been proposed in an effort to “fix” the disruption of climate caused by the growing burden of carbon dioxide human activities add to the atmosphere. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How the world’s voracious appetite for shrimp is destroying Ecuador’s mangroves
As demand soars, the country’s mangrove forests and the livelihoods of shellfish gatherers are under threat from encroaching farms and unchecked pollutionAt low tide, Johana Carolina Cruz Potes steps into the mudflats around Isla Costa Rica, in Ecuador’s Jambelí Archipelago. Holding a bucket and a short metal hook, she probes the tangled roots of a mangrove patch, searching for concha negra, black-shelled cockles, buried beneath the sludge.Cruz Potes has done this work since she was nine, when she first followed her father into the mud. But earning a living from shellfish gathering – often the only income for families here – has become harder as grounds shrink and catches decline. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Shoppers splash out on fans and paddling pools as retail sales in Great Britain hot up
May heatwave drives up volume of sales 1.2%, the strongest monthly growth since January, says ONSRetail sales bounced back to growth in May as record hot weather spurred sales of fans and paddling pools, while online purchases also soared.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the volume of retail sales in Great Britain grew 1.2% in May compared with the previous month, the strongest monthly rate of growth since January. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Five ways the Iran peace deal could affect you and your money
With fuel and gas prices having fallen in recent days, we look at how the end of hostilities might affect you - in five charts.
bbc.com
What's happening to UK petrol and diesel prices now the US and Iran have a deal?
When the conflict began on 28 February, fuel costs jumped as the war disrupted the production and transportation of energy across the Middle East.
bbc.com
Warning over 'fragile' public finances as borrowing rises
The UK borrowed £23.3bn in May, according to official figures, up almost a third on the same month last year.
theguardian.com
Trump’s Iran deal could place his legacy in the hands of Tehran
He lambasted Jimmy Carter during the 1980 hostage crisis; now Trump’s presidency could be similarly blemishedIt began with the fate of hostages.Donald Trump’s first recorded foray into politics was sparked by the 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran, which saw 52 American diplomats held incommunicado for 444 days. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
What this biotech's volatile stock price tells you about the weight loss market right now
While the market's enthusiasm for one of Zealand's experimental drugs has cooled, investors are shifting focus to amylin-based medicines as a growth driver
theguardian.com
KPMG leaked confidential Optus information and surveilled whistleblower’s laptop, inquiry hears
International firm owns up to breach of ethics after staff leaked confidential Optus information while bidding for telco contractFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKPMG has admitted to another breach of ethics after its staff leaked Optus’ confidential information to colleagues bidding for an audit contract with Telstra.The consulting firm’s executives also surveilled a whistleblower’s laptop and dismissed the individual as someone with “workplace grievances”, a parliamentary inquiry heard on Friday. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
On the trail of the dotcom queen: how Julie Meyer left a pattern of unpaid bills, missing funds and broken dreams in her wake
Investigation: The entrepreneur was once the toast of London’s tech scene, a ‘global leader of tomorrow’ who starred on Dragons’ Den and promised untold riches for the startups she championed. But people she worked with in the last decade, from Malta to Switzerland, describe a very different realityJulie Meyer is sitting in a starkly lit attic, surrounded by piles of £50 notes. A California blond in a crisp, white shirt, her long, stockinged legs crossed at the knee, she listens intently to the young man standing before her. As he talks, she sizes him up. Eventually, she tells him: “I’m going to make you an offer.” It could be a scene from a heist movie, but Meyer is in a BBC studio, shooting a 2009 episode of the TV show Dragons’ Den. A celebrated entrepreneur with a venture capital fund, she is ready to invest in whichever contestants catch her eye. For the viewers, she has some advice: “What is success? A lot of it is self-belief. Continuing on when most rational people would stop.”This is an online spin-off from the original Dragons’ Den series, so the stakes are a little lower. But for Lex Deak, a 23-year-old with a big idea for a social media website, what happens in this room today could be make or break. He desperately wants to work with Meyer. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'I'd be put off if he asked to split it': Who should pay on a first date?
Some insist on splitting the bill, others say the asker should pay, while many still see a man paying as romantic.
theguardian.com
UK borrows more than expected as impact of Iran war takes toll
May figure of £23.3bn underlines challenge facing Andy Burnham if he ends up as Labour leaderThe UK borrowed a higher-than-expected £23.3bn in May amid the economic fallout from the Iran war, underlining the fiscal pressures facing Andy Burnham if he takes over as the Labour leader.In figures released shortly after Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield byelection, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing – the difference between government spending and income – for the month was the second highest for any May on record. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Telegram questioned by Ofcom after arsonist who targeted Starmer-linked properties recruited on app
Exclusive: Telegram urged to clarify how it detects illegal incitement after attacks were coordinated using appTelegram is facing questions from Ofcom over how it detects and prevents illegal incitement after a Ukrainian man was found guilty of carrying out arson attacks on a car and property associated with Keir Starmer.A spokesperson for the regulator said it had contacted the messaging app “to seek further clarification” because the arsonist had been directed on Telegram by a handler linked to Russia. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Homes for sale in former schools in England and Scotland – in pictures
From a one-room village school transformed into a five-bedroom rural pile to a flat in a grand Victorian building in London Continue reading...
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Swiss signing canceled as U.S.-Iran talks stall
Negotiators call off plans to meet in Switzerland to try to progress the U.S.-Iran deal as Trump and Vance defend the agreement.
bbc.com
Farnham sets out 'ambitious' vision for island
Only chief minister candidate wants to tackle costs, boost investment and increase housing supply.
cnbc.com
Indian IT stocks slump up to 7% as Accenture cuts revenue outlook, fueling fresh concerns over sector growth
Shares of major Indian IT companies fall up to 7% after global sector leader Accenture cuts its revenue guidance.
cnbc.com
Yen slides past 161 against the dollar, nearing 40-year low and reviving intervention bets
On Thursday the yen saw a sharp depreciation a high of 161.80, its weakest since July 2024.
cnbc.com
MSCI isn't done with Indonesia yet: new report signals continued concerns over market transparency
MSCI flagged growing concerns about transparency in Indonesia's stock market.
cnbc.com
Why Japan's $70 billion-plus intervention and a rate hike didn't prop up the yen more
Japan was willing to step in to defend the yen around the 160 level before, and it's at that point again.
cnbc.com
Trump claims Iran deal is 'unconditional surrender,' says his power has 'no limits': Axios
Trump said in an interview with Axios on Thursday evening stateside that he negotiated the deal to prevent the conflict from triggering a global depression.
theguardian.com
Think like a billionaire part one – podcast
Glamorous, rich and well-connected, Julie Meyer was a darling of the dotcom boom. But people who worked with the entrepreneur complain about unpaid wages, debts to suppliers and missing money. Journalist Olivia Lee and the Guardian’s investigations team unravel the complicated storyJournalist Olivia Lee was in Fabric nightclub in London when she heard a story that intrigued her: a tech founder told her a tale of woe about a luxury networking event he had been to. He told Lee there were supposed to be yacht trips and gala dinners. But nothing had gone as planned. “He claimed that there were these really chaotic scenes of taxi drivers supposedly working for the organiser going on strike because they hadn’t been paid. People chucked out of hotel rooms because the organiser appeared to have not paid the hotel bill.”The woman he said was behind the event was Julie Meyer. An entrepreneur who had been the queen of the 00s dotcom scene in London and was later awarded an MBE. Lee, along with Juliette Garside from the Guardian’s investigations team, began looking into Meyer. Lee tells Helen Pidd what she learned about the tech entrepreneur and the accusations made against her. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S.-Iran deal in photos: ships in the Strait of Hormuz, daily life in Tehran
The first signs of a post-war recovery are emerging across the Middle East after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum aimed at ending the conflict.
cnbc.com
Japan core inflation holds steady in May, matching expectations despite energy price concerns
Headline inflation edged up to 1.5% from 1.4%, while the so called "core-core" inflation rate, eased to 1.8% from 1.9%.
bbc.com
The artificial ice pyramids saving India's mountain villages
Himalayan villages are creating artificial glaciers to guarantee water for their crops in the spring.
bbc.com
Brexit cost 6% of UK economy, Bank of England company data suggests
Analysis showed how much the UK could have grown if it had not exited the EU.
bbc.co.uk
Business Daily
Which jobs could be most resistant to the rise of AI?
cnbc.com
Vance says U.S. isn’t giving Iran ‘a cent’ as he defends Trump peace deal
"The only way the Iranians get any of these resources ... is if they comply fully" with the terms of the deal, Vice President JD Vance said.
cnbc.com
The average SpaceX buyer post-IPO is almost under water after two-day slide
Shares of SpaceX fell as much as 7% Thursday to $178, leaving the stock trading roughly in line with its volume-weighted average price of just under $180.
cnbc.com
Here are the five big takeaways from Kevin Warsh's first meeting as Fed chairman
The Federal Reserve and Chairman Kevin Warsh on Wednesday followed the script on interest rates closely.
theguardian.com
Another FTSE 100 firm falls to private equity. Where are the new listings? | Nils Pratley
You can’t complain Intertek’s £10bn takeover happened – the problem is the lack of arrivals in the other direction It would be a stretch to describe the £10bn-ish takeover of Intertek as a landmark event for the London stock market or the FTSE 100 index.This is not an Arm Holdings moment – the purchase of that Cambridge chip designer by Japan’s SoftBank in 2016 provoked long (and continuing) agonising over the lack of whizzy tech stocks on the London market. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on OnlyFans: revelations of abusive middlemen merit MPs’ attention | Editorial
Reports of agents taking 50% of women’s earnings undermine the company’s rhetoric of empowerment Since its launch a decade ago, and throughout its journey to becoming one of the UK’s most successful internet startups, OnlyFans – which was valued at more than £3bn in April – has presented itself as a vehicle for content creators’ empowerment. Revelations of the role played by middlemen in transactions on the website, which is dominated by pornographic content, undermine such claims and require a response from parliament.A Guardian investigation and a BBC documentary uncovered details of male-run agencies that seek out young women, persuade them to film sexual material, and take 50% of their earnings (all OnlyFans creators also pay a 20% commission to the website). The reporters heard from women who faced pressure to make their content more explicit, and about online networks where managers sell contracts with performers to each other. The BBC interviewed a woman in Wales who was physically attacked in her home.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The billionaire hidden behind the curtain inside Trump’s Pentagon
Media-shy financier Stephen Feinberg has quietly amassed extraordinary influence over US military spendingThe only available video over the last 15 months of the official who really wields power in Donald Trump’s Pentagon is a cartoon animation. Released in May on X by the US government, it shows a silver haired figure in a grey suit lighting up a cigar and sitting at a massive wooden desk with a nameplate: DEPSECWAR FEINBERG.Stephen Feinberg, the 66-year-old billionaire founder of the private equity giant Cerberus Capital Management, has served as the deputy secretary of defense since March 2025. His boss, the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, makes frequent appearances working out with troops or insulting reporters at press conferences, and posts often on social media. But Feinberg does not show his face. He has been obsessively media shy for decades, and is so reclusive that since his confirmation hearing he has not testified to a single committee on Capitol Hill, has held no press conferences and given no interviews. His press spokesperson left the government months into his tenure and has not been replaced. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Cynical to get power’: Michel Barnier on Boris Johnson, Brexit and the EU’s future
Former negotiator believes in an unstable world, it is ?perfectly possible? the UK can rejoin the EU with old opt-outsUK could keep special pre-Brexit terms if it rejoined EU, Michel Barnier saysA couple of years ago, Michel Barnier spent a weekend with Boris Johnson?s father, Stanley. It was not some ghoulish Brexit spin-off of The Traitors, but the result of the former EU negotiator?s wife, Isabelle, being a close friend of Johnson?s French cousin, Anne du Boucheron, the owner of Château de la Baronnière, a 19th-century estate in Mauges-sur-Loire, in western France.?We spent a weekend together in a French castle. Very friendly. Long promenades in the forest,? Barnier recalls of Johnson senior, with whom he discussed the former prime minister?s motivation to back Brexit. ?It was interesting. Boris was much more European at the beginning. Even if he was critical. I don?t see it as a motivation but it is, perhaps, a method or attitude: to be pragmatic in some way. Cynical. Cynical to get power.? Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK could keep special pre-Brexit terms if it rejoined EU, Michel Barnier says
Exclusive: Former chief Brexit negotiator says staying out of euro and Schengen area would be ‘perfectly possible’‘Cynical to get power’: Michel Barnier on Boris Johnson, Brexit and the EU’s futureMichel Barnier has said Britain could regain its special terms if it rejoined the EU and claimed it was becoming clearer every day to the British people that they would be stronger in Europe.In an interview before the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum next week, the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator said he could not see any obstacle to the UK keeping the pound and remaining outside the passport-free Schengen travel area should the country rejoin. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'Do not travel' advice for Dubai dropped
Thousands of Brits were left stranded in the Middle East when the US-Iran war broke out in early 2026.
bbc.com
CrossCountry ranked Britain's worst train operator
Transport Focus asks it to reduce delays and provide better information during disruption.
cnbc.com
OPEC chief dismisses IEA supply glut forecast as 'critical' Strait of Hormuz reopens
The IEA said on Wednesday that a lasting resolution to the conflict could drive a surge in supply volumes and trigger a major oil overhang next year.
theguardian.com
‘Mega-consumers’ of food and energy cost environment $5.7tn a year, study finds
Top 10% generate climate and biodiversity damage bill that exceeds economies of most countries, say researchersThe environmental damage bill racked up by the highest-consuming 10% of the world’s population has reached up to $5.7tn a year – larger than the economy of every country except the US and China, a study has found.Mega-consumers in this group are concentrated in the global north, accounting for more than half the population of the US and 40-45% of people in the EU. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Apple to raise prices as AI boom pushes up chip costs
The firm's outgoing boss Tim Cook did not say when prices would rise or which products would be affected.
bbc.com
Interest rates held as Bank warns of impact of high energy prices
The Bank last cut interest rates in December but upheaval in the Middle East has stalled any further reductions.
theguardian.com
Fewer than half of commuters in Great Britain think train fare value for money
Findings of national survey comes as rail regulator reports record 1.83bn passenger journeys last yearFewer than half of rail commuters in Great Britain think their train fare is value for money, a national passenger survey has found.Travellers on the CrossCountry long-distance rail service were the least satisfied overall, according to the research by the passenger watchdog Transport Focus. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Number of job vacancies hits five year-low
Latest figures suggest companies are becoming more cautious about taking on new staff.
theguardian.com
Americans are spending $800 just to cool their homes. We are at a breaking point | Mark Wolfe
While the stock market booms for the rich, cost of living is soaring for everyone elseSince 2020, the stock market has more than doubled. Americans who own substantial financial assets are reveling in economic success. For everyone else, the economy feels very different. This summer, the average family will spend nearly $800 just to keep their home cool, almost 40% more than in 2020 and up 10.5% since last summer.Americans now carry more than $1.2tn in credit card debt. Nearly 60% say they are living paycheck to paycheck. One in six households is behind on its utility bills. Every year, utilities disconnect electric service more than 13m times. Nearly 40% of lower-income households struggle to pay their energy bills.Mark Wolfe is an energy economist and serves as the executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association representing the state directors of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the co-director of the Center on Energy Poverty and Climate. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy at George Washington University Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Strait of Hormuz reopening may take weeks to ease shipping backlog and oil pressure
The Strait of Hormuz is set to reopen after Iran and the U.S. sign a peace deal, but experts warn backlogs and security checks could delay normal shipping.
theguardian.com
Gig workers are endlessly exploited. AI could make more of us share their fate
As companies integrate AI and hire fewer employees, a shift toward a ‘gig economy’ will commenceIn 2024, the buy-now-pay-later company Klarna announced that it would cut hundreds of customer service roles and begin using an artificial intelligence chatbot instead. The move was expected to save the company millions. But a year later, after customers complained about the degraded quality of customer service, Klarna began to quietly recruit human customer service agents back.At first glance, the reversal appeared to be a victory for human workers in the age of AI. The reality was more complex. Instead of bringing on full-time customer service agents, who Klarna contracts through an outside agency, it instead brought on workers in what Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski has described as “an Uber type of set-up”. Now, an AI chatbot continues to handle most of customers’ basic queries, while a growing number of gig workers handle the more advanced ones. “Just like somebody can go and drive an Uber for a while, they can actually jump on and work for Klarna’s customer service,” Siemiatkowski said on a podcast in February. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why has Texas set its sights on London?
Texas, which once had an embassy in London, strengthens its ties with the capital by opening a new trade office.
cnbc.com
Why Wall Street banks and foreign borrowers are rushing to tap China’s cheap money
Foreign governments, Wall Street banks and multinational companies are flocking to China's panda bond market.
bbc.com
'We had to get out of the way': The backlash over delivery robots
As the delivery vehicles increasing take to US streets, bans and protest groups are springing up.
cnbc.com
CEOs of Anthropic and Google DeepMind call for U.S.-led AI coalition in meeting at G7
Tech leaders and heads of state, including President Donald Trump, joined a meeting about AI standards at the G7 Summit.
bbc.com
Warsh to review how Fed works after holding US interest rates at first meeting
The Federal Reserve held rates between 3.5% and 3.75% after Kevin Warsh's first meeting in charge of the central bank.
cnbc.com
Amazon AI exec predicts first 'commercially useful' quantum computers in 5-7 years
Quantum computing is becoming an increasingly competitive field, with tech giants including Microsoft, Google and IBM developing the technology.
bbc.com
Driving test wait time target will not be met until autumn next year
The Transport Secretary had been aiming to reduce the backlog to seven weeks by this autumn.
bbc.com
Inflation unexpectedly steady as food price rises slow
Higher petrol prices were offset by slower price rises for meat, dairy and vegetables, according to the ONS.
theguardian.com
Surprisingly benign UK inflation data signals a softer Iran war hit than feared
Impact of war on UK cost of living more muted than first forecast suggesting fuel price rises have failed to spill out more widely across UK plcUK inflation stays at 2.8% as slowing food prices offset transport costsAs soon as Iran choked off oil supplies through the strait of Hormuz at the start of March, there were dire warnings about rocketing UK inflation and the drastic action the Bank of England might take to rein it in.At one point, investors were expecting as many as three quarter-point rises in interest rates before the end of the year – a sharp turnaround from earlier forecasts of rate cuts. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Japan raids ice cream giants over price-fixing allegations
The investigation on alleged cartel pricing of ice cream comes as Japan faces record summer temperatures.
theguardian.com
Capital gains tax: more people have to pay, so here’s what you need to know
The rules have changed and more taxpayers are being pulled into the net, not only the wealthyLess generous rules have turned capital gains tax into a “cash machine” for the government, with income from the levy soaring by almost 80% to £24bn in the last tax year – equivalent to well over £800 a household.A series of changes to the way the charge works means more people are being pulled into the capital gains tax (CGT) net, and not only the wealthy. And, given the scale of the change, this week experts were reminding consumers of legitimate ways to reduce a CGT bill. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'It's a unique scenario' - Inside Lidl's first ever pub
The supermarket chain Lidl owns and operates The Middle Ale, a 'world first' for the brand.
bbc.com
Musk's SpaceX overtakes Amazon to become world's fifth most valuable firm
Elon Musk's rocket firm has overtaken the retail and media empire in value after a surge in its share price.
bbc.com
Cadbury chocolate-owner Mondelez defends staying in Russia
Mondelez boss Dirk Van de Put says it was the "right decision" to remain after the war with Ukraine.
bbc.com
Struggling Pizza Hut chain to be sold for $2.7bn
The decision comes after a prolonged period of difficulty for the chain, which has faced increasing competition from a range of rivals.
bbc.com
Thames Water moves step closer to nationalisation after government objects to rescue deal
The environment secretary says the deal does not do enough for consumers or the environment.
bbc.com
How the Iran war affects your money and bills
The conflict in the Middle East has increased pressure on the cost of petrol, household energy bills and even food.
bbc.com
Why is Thames Water in so much trouble?
Thames Water's lenders have submitted a new rescue plan to save the firm, but how did it end up in this state?
bbc.com
Japan raises interest rate to highest for 31 years
The Bank of Japan has been raising rates from near-zero since 2024.
bbc.com
What is Helium-3 and could we get it from the moon?
Helium-3 is expensive and demand is forecast to soar, so some are planning to mine it on the moon.
cnbc.com
People in China are watching the World Cup differently this time
A 12-hour-plus time difference and various streaming options are influencing how people in China watch the World Cup.
bbc.com
How could the US-Iran deal affect oil prices and the cost of food?
Experts warn the impact of the war will continue to affect the global economy for months to come.
bbc.com
Why I sold my business to my staff
As more US company owners reach retirement age many are selling up to their employees.
theguardian.com
‘People start connecting the dots’: why an investment fund is rewilding a North Yorkshire estate
Rebalance Earth is investing in Broughton Sanctuary to generate financial, environmental and social returnsFrom a high point on the hill, the North Yorkshire landscape unrolls below. The moorland above gives way to grassland, trees and then pasture, divided by the region’s traditional dry stone walls.The view may be idyllic, but it belies the condition of parts of this land, belonging to the sprawling 1,100 hectare (2,500-acre) Broughton Sanctuary estate, near Skipton. Continue reading...
bbc.com
India's 'blue gold' starts a new drinks industry
Agave plants grow wild in India and new distillers are using them to create a spirits industry.
bbc.com
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.com
New candy stores are popping up across NYC. Why?
While US consumer confidence is at an historic low the Big Apple's sweet shops are expanding.
bbc.com
Could humanoid robots be heading for the battlefield?
Armed forces are experimenting with humanoid robots, but battlefield deployment is some way off.
bbc.com
Spain's visitor numbers hit new highs as tourists avoid Middle East
The European country had 9.1 million international visitors in April, the most ever for that month.
bbc.com
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
bbc.com
The ancient trick making food waste useful and tasty
Instead of throwing away byproducts of food processing, fermentation is making them valuable.
bbc.com
'By the grace of God': Miners dig on as lab-grown diamonds change market
The rising popularity of lab-grown diamonds heaps pressure on those hunting for the natural gems.
bbc.com
How 'confused' AI rollout hurts firms and baffles staff
Some firms are putting pressure on staff to use AI, but have not thought through their AI rollout.
bbc.com
Caribbean hot sauce producers warn of shortages and higher prices
Manufacturers in Jamaica say the key chilli peppers they need are in limited supply.
bbc.com
Humanoid robots 'the future' of car making, says BMW
BMW is introducing humanoid robots to a car plant in Europe, building on similar projects in the US.
bbc.com
The £5 coffee that tells a story of global economic turmoil
Coffees at some city centre outlets now cost £5. It's a story of tariffs, the climate, Gen Z cultural tastes, and savvy coffee farmers playing the market, writes Faisal Islam
bbc.com
Is 'out of control' US tipping culture spreading overseas?
With US waiting staff getting cross at receiving less than 20%, tips are also on the rise elsewhere.
bbc.com
The rise of the fruit that tastes like custard
Custard apple plants are prized for their hardiness but exporting their delicate fruit is difficult.
bbc.com
Morocco wants tourists to visit Western Sahara. Some say it's tightening its control
The Moroccan government wants more Western holidaymakers to visit the territory it claims to own.
bbc.com
The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
bbc.com
Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
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